The brand new Essential X6 is an reasonably priced exterior USB-C SSD designed for large capability and most portability. The drive is well-priced for individuals who want a big quantity of storage that’s sooner and extra dependable than what you get with a transportable laborious drive, making it a contender for our checklist of finest exterior SSDs, however its rated efficiency is nothing to write down house about and it comes with minimal frills and extras.Â
Essential’s authentic X6 used a DRAM-less SATA controller with an identical kind of flash, however it was restricted to 540MBps of sequential learn throughput. The newer mannequin, examined at a capacious 4TB, is rated for as much as 800MBps. This makes it a good selection for storage on the go or if you need one thing comparatively fast to again up your knowledge. Its efficiency is certainly restricted, although, so whereas it might probably survive a fall from peak, it is best to preserve your efficiency expectations in test. Content material creators may wish to take a look at one thing just like the Samsung T7 Defend as an alternative.
This drive is light-weight and small in stature, making it simple to throw into your laptop computer bag or backpack. It is also designed to outlive drops and runs pretty cool. Nonetheless, it doesn’t include a Kind-A cable, which could cut back its attraction.
Specs
| Product | 500GB | 1TB | 2TB | 4TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | $59.99 | $79.99 | $169.99 | $359.99 |
| Capability (Person / Uncooked) | 500GB / 512GB | 1000GB / 1024GB | 2000GB / 2048GB | 4000GB / 4096GB |
| Kind Issue | Â | Â | Â | Â |
| Interface / Protocol | USB-C / USB Gen3 2×1 | USB-C / USB Gen3 2×1 | USB-C / USB Gen3 2×1 | USB-C / USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 |
| Included | USB Kind-C to Kind-C cable | USB Kind-C to Kind-C cable | USB Kind-C to Kind-C cable | USB Kind-C to Kind-C cable |
| Controller | Phison U17 | Phison U17 | Phison U17 | Phison U17 |
| DRAM | No | No | No | No |
| Reminiscence | Micron 176L QLC (N48R) | Micron 176L QLC (N48R) | Micron 176L QLC (N48R) | Micron 176L QLC (N48R) |
| Sequential Learn | 540MBps | 800MBps | 800MBps | 800MBps |
| Sequential Write | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Random Learn | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Random Write | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Safety | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Energy | Bus-powered | Bus-powered | Bus-powered | Bus-powered |
| Endurance | Drop Resistant (2m) | Drop Resistant (2m) | Drop Resistant (2m) | Drop Resistant (2m) |
| Endurance (TBW) | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Dimensions | 11 x 69 x 64mm (LxWxH) | 11 x 69 x 64mm (LxWxH) | 11 x 69 x 64mm (LxWxH) | 11 x 69 x 64mm (LxWxH) |
| Weight | <40g | <40g | <40g | <40g |
| Half Quantity | CT500X6SSD9 | CT1000X6SSD9 | CT2000X6SSD9 | CT4000X6SSD9 |
| Guarantee | 3-Yr | 3-Yr | 3-Yr | 3-Yr |
The Essential X6 is obtainable at 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB. The 500GB SKU remains to be restricted to the unique peak learn throughput of 540MBps; nonetheless, the bigger fashions are actually rated for as much as 800MBps for sequential reads. The drives are drop-resistant as much as two meters, or about 6.5 toes. The drive is small and light-weight in each incarnation, specified as lower than 1.5 ounces and simple to slot in a pocket. Essential backs this drive with a three-year guarantee.
Pricing is finest at 1TB or greater capacities, and that’s the place it is best to look to purchase a drive like this anyway. Whereas the price per gigabyte could possibly be decrease, it stays cheap towards its competitors. It will be finest for those who purchased this for primary storage extension; the Essential X6 is not meant to be a high-end product.
Software program and EquipmentÂ
The Essential X6 comes with a Kind-C to Kind-C cable, however you should use a Kind-C to Kind-A cable if you are going to buy one individually. Essential’s downloadable and free Storage Government software program works with the X6, permitting you to get firmware updates, handle drive features, and monitor the drive’s well being. Essential’s Momentum Cache characteristic affords the power to dedicate system reminiscence (RAM) to behave as a cache for the drive, however we don’t suggest this characteristic as a consequence of knowledge integrity issues within the occasion of an surprising disconnection or energy loss.Â
A Nearer Look
The Essential X6 is available in a comparatively small rounded black case, however Essential claims it might probably survive a two-meter fall. One facet has a USB-C connector to connect the included Kind-C to Kind-C cable, whereas the again lists primary details about the drive, like its capability and the serial quantity. There’s nothing flashy right here, however the drive’s small dimension and light-weight nature make it fairly transportable.
Internally we see EMI shielding, tape, and thermal padding. The latter ought to enable the drive to remain comparatively cool throughout extended use. Beneath all of that is the PCB, which features a DRAM-less controller and, for the 4TB SKU, two NAND packages on both facet (for a complete of 4).
A more in-depth take a look at the controller lets us see varied energy circuitry centered across the Phison PS6103 PMIC. The shortage of a bridge chip tells us that this controller is an embedded hybrid design that manages each the interface and flash.
The unique Phison PS2251-17 controller was used for USB flash drives with a USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 interface and a Kind-A connector. It’s usually speed- and capacity-limited when utilized for that utility. Phison extra not too long ago developed the U17 from this foundation, with the identical interface however a Kind-C connector. The controller can also be able to managing as much as 4TB of flash and may attain greater speeds. The U17 is a local UFD controller in the identical vein as Silicon Movement’s SM2320, which is used within the Kingston XS2000.
On this case, we’ve a USB-C connector and speeds as much as 800 MBps — lower than what the ten Gbps interface and 1 GBps U17 can deal with — coupled with QLC at as much as 4TB. This two-channel controller usually manages as much as sixteen dies, so this capability pushes the controller a bit. We beforehand reviewed the Inland Platinum Exterior SSD, which makes use of the identical controller and QLC flash however is rated for greater speeds and comes solely at decrease capacities.
The flash modules are labeled NY165. These are 8Tb (1TB) modules, for a complete of 4TB. Every of the 4 modules has eight 1Tb (128GB) QLC dies in an 8DP/ODP configuration. It is a newer QLC flash, particularly Micron’s 176-layer QLC (N48R), based mostly on the identical structure as its 176L TLC (B47R). We suspected this throughout testing, then later confirmed with Essential, who acknowledged that the up to date drive with the U17 launched with 96-layer QLC however might now include the newer flash.
It is a departure from the floating gate (FG) QLC that Micron made in partnership with Intel at 64 and 96 layers. Micron beforehand used the 96L QLC on the unique X6, coupled with Silicon Movement’s DRAM-less SM2259XT SATA controller with the 5Gbps ASMedia ASM235CM bridge chip. This newer QLC has appeared on a few of Micron’s OEM drives and ought to be within the P3 and P3 Plus. We’ll cowl the deeper technical facets of the flash within the latter’s assessment.
The SSD market ought to see extra 176-layer or equal QLC from a number of producers within the coming months. That is related because it means that QLC might lastly seize a good market share whereas being performant sufficient to exchange TLC in lots of instances. It additionally means we’ll get bigger drives with a decrease price per gigabyte, particularly as NAND costs proceed to plummet. Merchandise just like the 4TB X6 will turn into extra widespread, notably with new UFD controllers, so use this assessment as a baseline.
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